If you are an entrepreneur, prioritize keywords in your LinkedIn headline over titles like CEO, President, Founder, or Owner. Think what someone would enter in Google.
Let’s assume they probably don’t care about your title and may not yet know your company name, but they do know what they are looking for to solve their problem or pain point.
A searcher may enter [“keyword” near me] in Google. On LinkedIn, they can use the filter bar to seek someone out in a specific locale, but typically, they search for a keyword of goods or services they need.
First impressions are essential on LinkedIn, so prioritize keywords to make your headline count.
Prioritize Keywords
- LinkedIn, much like Google, is a search engine for professionals.
- People search for services or expertise, not titles.
Why Titles Don’t Work
- Titles such as CEO or Founder are too generic and don’t convey what the person does or what value they provide.
- These titles can dilute the message by focusing on the position rather than the expertise or services offered.
The Power of Keywords
- Keywords are the language of LinkedIn’s database.
- Specific keywords can significantly improve visibility and findability. For instance, instead of “Founder,” use “Blockchain Technology Consultant” or “Digital Marketing Strategist.”
How to Identify Your Keywords
- Think like your target audience: What would they search for?
- Use LinkedIn’s search bar and filters to drill down to get to what you need.
- Analyze your competitors’ and colleagues’ profiles for inspiration.
Crafting Your Headline
- Create a LinkedIn headline that effectively incorporates keywords, along with a unique selling proposition (USP) to be memorable and make an impression that distinguishes or differentiates you from others like you.
- Analyze your headline and tweak it to improve your scores using a headline analyzer like Sharethrough.
Conclusion
- Use keywords over titles to better reflect what you do your value to your clients or industry.
- Add a unique selling proposition (USP) and consider including a vivid image to be memorable.
- Evaluate the headline using an analyzer, like Sharethrough.
- Take steps to build your brand and professional online presence and remember to customize your banner, too, as it’s your personal advertising billboard.
NEXT STEPS
- Subscribe to my newsletter on LinkedIn™ for bright ideas to manage your career.
- Join as a member at https://greatcareers.org/membership of the #1 business networking association on the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Book of Lists four years in a row!
- If you need a resume or LinkedIn™ profile to get you to your next step, book a call to chat!
- Follow #GreatCareersPHL
AUTHOR BIO
Lynne M. Williams is the Executive Director of the Great Careers Network, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides career development and networking connections for 1) job seekers in career transition, including veterans, and 2) employed and self-employed for career management.
Aside from writing keyword-focused content for ATS resumes and LinkedIn™ profiles, Lynne is currently writing her doctoral dissertation on LinkedIn™ for Job Seekers. She is a contributing author on “Applying to Positions” in Find Your Fit: A Practical Guide to Landing the Job You Love, along with the late Dick Bolles, the author of What Color is Your Parachute?, and is also a speaker on career topics.
This article is also published on: vista.today, montco.today, delco.today, bucksco.today, philadelphia.today and in the author’s LinkedIn newsletter. A list of articles can also be found in a Google doc.
